Mat



April14,1942. A. R. HENDRY 2,279,944

MAT

Filed May 22, 1939 2 shetS-sheet 1 INVENTOR.

*EW/ahw `ATTO HYS April 14, 1942. A A R, HEDRY 2,279,944

MAT

Filed May 22, 1939 2 Sheets-Shea?I 2 7 @M2525 Z7 a ATTORNEYS Patented Apr. 14, 1942 UNlTED STATES PATENT OFFICE MAT Adolph R. Hendry, Portland, Mich.

Application May 22, 1939, Serial No. 2745908' 1 claim. (el, 1'5-239) This invention relates to improvements in mats.

The main objects of this invention are:

First, to provide an improved non-slip matl of articulated link construction.

Second, to provide a mat of the type described,

which is made of vulcanized rubber having' fibrous strands uniformly embedded therein and has improved provisions for presenting an effective scraping surface while at the same' time being extremely Wear resistant,

Third, to provide an articulated link mat ofA the type described, the elements of which are formed from pneumatiotire casing stock.

Fourth, to provide a mat having an improved border to minimize the possibility of tripping thereover.

Objects relating to details and econom-ies of the invention will appear from the description to follow. The invention is defined in the claim.

Preferred embodiments of the invention are illustrated in the accompanying drawings, wherein:

Fig. 1 is a fragmentary top plan view of a mat:

in accordance with the invention.

Fig. 1-A is an enlarged fragmentary planl View partially broken away and in horizontal section illustrating the manner of securing certain of the border elements to the mat in accordance with the preferred embodiment of thein-Y vention.

Fig. 2 is a fragmentary view in side elevation and in section along the line 2 2 of Fig. 1, illustrating the material of the link elements and.'

the relation thereof in one direction of the mat, the view being sectioned further to indicate the composition of the links thereof.

Fig. 3 is a fragmentary perspective View more clearly illustrating the mat of the invention and in particular the border portions thereof.

Fig. 4 is a fragmentary view in section on line 4 4 of Figs. 1 and 3.

Fig. 5 is a view in section similar to Fig. 4, illustrating a modified type of border element and the relation thereof to the main body of the mat as contemplated by the invention.

Fig. 6 is a fragmentary top plan view of a modified embodiment of a mat in accordance Fig. '7 is an enlarged -fragmentary view insider elevation of the embodiment of Fig. 6.

Fig. 7-A is a fragmentary side View partially? in vertical section more clearly illustrating the' embodiment of Figs. 6 and'l, on line 'lA--TA' of Fig. 6.

Fig. Sis a fragmentary bottomv plan view illus trating the nonskid provisions of the invention applied to the bottom of the mat.

Fig. 9 is'a fragmentary top plan View illustrating a still further modified embodiment of the invention.

In the accompanying drawings no attempt has been made to show the parts in their pro-` portion relative to each other or to show amat in commercial proportions which obviously may and in fact are greatly varied.

Referring to the drawings, the reference nu- Ineral l designates a mat of the inventionthe b'ody of which is made up of a plurality of similarV linkv elements 2 articulated at theirends" and in laterally staggered arrangement'to constitute afflefxibleimatbody. These links are formed of vulcanized rubber having fibrous strands or fibrous fabric embedded therein, being` prefer'- ably cut or'stamped out of discarded pneumatic tire casings, which I havevfound to be an exce1' lent wear resisting and nonskidding. material for the'-v mat of the invention.

The articulating means for the links is preferably in thev form of the rectangular wire lo'opsl 3, se'e Fig. 1-A, which extend through openings 4 formed in thel laterally spaced and staggered links to hold the same in assembled relation and constitute a flexible mat bodyl.

Inorder to increase the fri'ctional andv clean ing effect of the upper' surface 5 of themat, I

yfform laterally extending oorruga'tions 6 therein', thereby rendering the mat more readily." cleaned, more satisfactory for the purpose ofl scrapingl snow and mud from the shoes of the user and also increasing the' traction 'afforded by the mat to prevent slipping: thereon. Thel same corrugating provisions are carried out' in the borderm'embers of the mat which will'be hereinafter described. It willy be noted that the reinforcing material extends' into the ridges or corrugations supporting them and making them very wear resistant or durable.

The mat body has the endl links 1 thereof provided with uncorrugated, downwardly inclinedor beveled end surfaces 8, these end pieces bein'gmaintain'ed in' spaced? relation by! roller' ele ment-s 9' preferably formed `of the casingf` stock.

The roller elements are of sufficient diameter to` project substantially above the smooth inclined surfaces 8 to thereby give' or yield angularly when' struck'by' the foot of l"ther user,thus coact-y ing with the beveled surfaces in greatly minimizing the possibility of stumbling, scuing, or tripping over the edges of the mat. The terminal links or end pieces 'I and the spacer rollers 9 are held in assembled relation by means of a rectangular wire loop 3 similar to that articulating the links of the mat body.

The sides of the mat are provided with borders made up of the side pieces or elements Il) and provision is made in the preferred embodiment of the invention whereby these elements are held from vertical displacement relative to the body of the mat. To this end, pairs of the side border elements I0, which, like the end border elements 1, have inclined or beveled surfaces 8, are assembled in the manner clearly illustrated in Figs.` 1, l-A, and 3. I preferably assemble two pairs of` the elements I with an interposed relatively elongated side border element, designated by the reference numeral II, and secure these side border elements together by means of an elongated' I2, interposing spacingv rollers I3 similar to the rollers 9 between the bor.

rectangular wire loop In order to hold each of the side border ascouplings or clips I6 of strip metal foreach of the pairs cf side border elements I0, which pivotally engage the inner elongated side of the rectangular loop I2 and are likewise engaged withy the opposite elongated sides of an articulating loop 3 for the body of the mat (see Fig. l-A). The U-shaped clip I6 i-lts snugly across the inner ends of the border elements IU,which are recessed at to receive the bight VI of loop 3,

and it also engages the adjacent link 2 of theA body of the mat, so as to resist any tendency of the border assembly to swing at the pivotal point of connection of the clips and loop I2. Of course vthis resistance to looseness or ilopping of the side border assemblies or units is furthery enhanced by the fixed mortised engagement of the elongated intermediate border member II with the body of the mat. The sleeves I1 surrounding the narrow ends of the loops I2 serve to maintain the assembly of border elements I0 in compact end-to-end relation as well as conceal and semat when the same is laid down, to thereby in- `sure that the same will lie flat at all times.

At the same time, the border units serve to stiflen .the mat as a whole somewhat since it is apparent L lines between successive border units 2|.

that it may bend substantially only on transverse Thus,

if there are three such side border units, bendsemblies to the mat body, I provide U-shaped l ing of the mat may occur only at two points along the length thereof.

If desired and as illustrated in the modified embodiment of Fig. 8, the surface corrugations may be provided on the main body and border elements of the mat at the lower side thereof, such corrugations being indicated by the reference numeral 22, to thereby enhance the nonskid quality of the mat with reference to the door on which it is laid. f

The improved mat described above is well adapted to have 4associated therewith an additional scraping unit, such as I have illustrated in Figs. 6, 7 and A'7A. This unit consists of a plurality of relatively short tapered or round-nosed border elements 23 having a somewhat stubby outline, pairs of these elements being assembled with interposed roller type spacers 24. y

The scraper elements are slotted or recessed at 25 Aat the heel or non-tapered end thereof to accommodate 'the bight of the wire loop 3 which has a sleeve 26 encircling the same at this point. The loop also passes through the parallel legs 21 of a metal strip 28 which is conformed v,by bending the same at right angles to and reverseg ly of itself to provide the aforesaid integrally connected clip elements or legs 21 which are disposed at the opposite side of thepairs of scraper elements 23 as illustrated in Fig. '7.

.In order to maintain the scraper elements 23 ,in upright relation relative to the body of the cure the joint at the adjacent ends of the wire strand constituting the loop I2. The end bightl I8 of the loop 3 has a similar clip or sleeve I9 encircling the same to space the loop equally at each side of a border unit or assembly.

If desired, the elongated intermediate border element I I may be modified in form Yin the manner illustrated in Fig. 5 to lie in simple end abutting relation to the link 2 of the main bodyl of the mat, the mortised joint beingomitted. I nd that although the connection is not as rigid as that provided by the mortisedt illustratedin Fig. 4, it is nevertheless adequate `for the purpose, i. e., to prevent swingingof the bordery members relative to the main body of the mat.-

In practice, there are a plurality of border element units mounted along the sides of the matin the manner'illustrated in Fig. 1, wherein the Arefmat, I provide an L-shaped foot or support 29 of wire loop construction as illustrated in Figs. 6 and 7, this loop passing through'the upstanding legs 21 of the strip 28 and through the scraper elements. Inasmuchy as there is no bight 3 adjacent the intermediate scraper element, particularly designated'23l, see Fig. 6, the uppermost reach 30 of, the foot support serves as a pivot' for this element which is otherwise unrestrained from pivotal movement. support 29 engages the mat supporting surface and prevents outward displacement of` the scraper elements from their vertical position. These elements provide usefulscraping surfaces for disengagingsnow or mud' from the shoe of' theruser, being restrained from excessive inward pivoting or collapse. by the engagement of theV loop 3 with the notch or slot 25 at the lower or heel end thereof.4

In the embodiment illustrated in Fig. 9, I uti-,-

lize alternating straight parallel and sinuous strips 32, 33 of the fabric reinforced vulcanized rubber described above. The sinuous or wavy strips 33 have spacer blocks or rollers 34 at opposite sidesj thereof and between the same and the The foot straight strips 32. The upper surface of the aforesaid strips is corrugated at 35 (the lower surface may also be corrugated if desired) and the strips are held in assembled relation by loops 36 similar to those described above.

I have illustrated and described my improvements in embodiments which are very practical.

I have not attempted to illustrate or describe other embodiments or adaptations as it is believed this disclosure Will enable those skilled in the art to embody or adapt my improvements as may be desired.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is:

A floor mat comprising a plurality of longi- 

